Receive the latest national-international updates in your inbox

Shortage of Officers as Unpaid Workers Stage Sick Outs

Puerto Rican police officers are calling in sick every day after Hurricane Maria due to unpaid wages. NBC 6's Laura Rodriguez reports.

(Published Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017)

Thousands of police officers are calling in sick every day in Puerto Rico, partly to press demands for unpaid overtime pay for hurricane recovery efforts as concerns grow over people's safety in a U.S. territory struggling to restore power.

The increase in absences recently prompted Puerto Rico Police Chief Michelle Hernandez to recommend that U.S. National Guard soldiers help fill the temporary vacancies.

"We have had an inordinate amount of absences that we haven't seen in years prior," she told The Associated Press, adding that while there has been a drop in major crimes this year, she is concerned that trend could reverse.

However, the administration of Gov. Ricardo Rossello on Wednesday rejected the idea of using the National Guard.

Parkland Shooting Survivor Calls 'BS' on Politicians' Gun Stance

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High senior Emma Gonzalez had a message for president Donald Trump and for other politicians on their failure to enact sensible gun laws: "BS." Gonzalez was one of several survivors to speak at a rally held outside the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to speak out against the gun lobby.

(Published Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018)

Normally, an average of 550 police officers are absent every day across Puerto Rico, which has one of the largest police departments under U.S. jurisdiction with more than 13,000 officers overall. But recently, more than 2,700 officers on average have been absent daily.

Public Affairs Secretary Ramon Rosario said the government has already made nearly $15 million in overtime payments since Hurricane Maria hit more than three months ago and $6.4 million more will be distributed Saturday.

"There are a lot of police officers who are not showing up," he said. "We are trying to address all demands to encourage these police officers to return to their jobs."

Hernandez estimated the government owes officers an additional $35 million in overtime pay, but said the department is still tallying attendance sheets to determine the exact amount.

Authorities said part of the problem is that Puerto Rico's government has to wait for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse it for overtime police pay and that it is a slow process.

The police chief said officers also are upset about other changes amid Puerto Rico's economic crisis, including smaller pensions and an end of payments for unused sick days. "They feel in a way cheated in the past 15 years in terms of benefits," Hernandez said.

Russians Indicted for Alleged Election Meddling Conspiracy

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announces indictments against 13 Russians and three Russian entities accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

(Published Friday, Feb. 16, 2018)

The island is struggling to recover from the Category 4 storm that hit amid an 11-year-old recession, killing dozens of people and causing up to an estimated $95 billion in damage.

Police officers worked seven days a week for 12 to 15 hours a day in September and October, said lobbying groups for the island's police officers, who are not allowed to unionize.

"The question is quite clear: Do they have the money to pay police officers?" said Carlos Morales, president of an association that represents more than 8,000 officers. "That's the biggest battle we face to help solve the problem."

"I don't want to wait until this gets out of control," Puerto Rico Sen. Axel Roque said in a statement Wednesday.

He said that one precinct had only three police officers to cover four towns on Christmas Eve and that another precinct recently had to ask a nearby one for more officers to help cover all shifts that day.

"Citizens are paying taxes and expect that the government fulfill its obligations to guarantee their security," he said.

Public Safety Secretary Hector Pesquera, whose department includes the police force and other emergency services, was not available Wednesday to discuss police absences, his office said.

In the mountain town of Morovis, where the majority of its 30,000 people don't have power, 13 of the town's 21 patrol officers recently called in sick, Sgt. Felix Rosario told AP. As a result, he said cases are piling up.

"We're facing limitations," he said, adding that the number of thefts, especially those involving generators, has increased since the hurricane.

Hundreds Gather at Gun Control Rally

Chanting "enough is enough" and waving signs emblazoned with messages like "No more silence, end gun violence," hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale Saturday to rally for stronger gun control laws.